BailongBall Forms – an Example, Part 5

In this series of blogs, we introduce you to BailongBall Forms. After having launched respective series on the disciplines of Multiplay and Freestyle, this series covering the discipline Forms, aims to complete your picture of our sport. The series breaks down a particular BailongBall Form into several parts. In each part, we show you round about two elements. At the end of the last part, you will have covered the Form and you will pick up tips and tricks while progressing from one part to the next. In the first part of this series, we explain what sets Forms apart from the other BailongBall disciplines. We introduce the preparatory element of a particular form, followed by a second element, called “The Mirror”. In part two we cover elements three and four – the “horizontal turn” and the “Cloud Hands”. Part 3 features a variant for changing directions, as well as the “dynamic 8”. In part 4 you learn “mirror and release ball”, as well as the “rainbow turn”, along with respective changes in direction. As with the first four parts, this one will also introduce two new elements. And again, we pick up exactly where we left off on the previous part.

• Diagonal turn with an introductory dynamic 8 and final180° turn to both sides.
• Horizontal rotation with the racket pointing downwards to both sides.

“Diagonal Turn”

Left to Right

Right to Left in Slow Motion

• The introductory “dynamic 8” is the “reverse” version – so the 8 is initiated from top to bottom
• At the end of the 8, your arms are in opposite directions – the racket arm is pointing down, while the free arm is pointing up.
• While you are doing the diagonal turn, both arms always point in opposite directions – imagine your arms like a broomstick that you put on your shoulders behind your head: if you lower one side of the stick, the other side will rise and vice versa.
• For the diagonal turn, perform four turns on the spot with your feet:
  1. The hind foot (the left one in the video above) rotates in front of the front one by about 270°
  2. The other foot (the right one in the video above) adapts to the direction with a 180° turn
  3. One foot (the left one in the video above) performs another 90° turn
  4. The other foot (the right one in the video above) opens 180° and takes a step forward.
• At the end of the diagonal turn, do not bring the racket all the way down, but lower it to eye level, only
• During the final 180° turn, look at the racket as if you were looking into a mirror
• For the final turn, pivot on one foot to “stretch” the other foot backwards

“Horizontal Turn – Racket pointing downwards”

Left to Right

Right to Left in Slow Motion

• To keep the ball on the racquet:
  • Always keep moving to take advantage of the centrifugal force
  • Keep your arms outstretched at all times – but not “overstretched”!
  • Let your shoulders hang loosely
• If you find it difficult to keep the ball on the racket at the beginning, try turning without racket:
  • First place the ball on the inside of your four fingers (thumb is not used).
  • Bend your fingers like a round hook to hold the ball
  • The ball should not touch your palm
  • Raise your arms and bend your hands – the more you bend your hands, the more secure the ball will be in your hand
  • Now turn around your own axis – slowly and with constant speed
  • For practice, turn only once in one direction and then once in the other direction (for most people, multiple turns in the same direction quickly lead to dizziness).
  • The more confident you become with the movement, the more you should try to straighten the fingers and, if successful, also reduce the bending of your hands.
  • Calmness and patience are your best friends in this exercise – stay with the ball
• Perform the movement slowly – this will allow you to maintain full body control during the turn and at the same time emphasize the graceful circular motion
• Keep your body’s center of gravity exactly above the foot you are rotating on so you don’t break the circle and lose your balance
• At the end of the turn, your racket arm is in your back and the free arm is in front of you
• To keep the ball on the racquet at the end of the turn, break the centrifugal force the ball is exposed to with a twist of the wrist. The racket turns 90° and thus “right in front of the ball” for a short moment to prevent the ball from leaving the racket

All elements of this part in one

Once your part and you have completed the form – keep going 🙂

Olga Ardasheva BailongBall Instructor